Hot water heating system



NOV. 19, 1935. E. N

I HOT WATER HEATING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTbR Thoma E. K1;

70 BY j {W 7 +41%;

ATTORNEYS Nov. 19, 1935. T, E, KING 2,021,149

HOT WATER HEATING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AT ORNEYS INVENTOR Thomas E. Kin/ Patented Nov. 1 19, 1935 HOTLWATER-{HEATINGI SYSTEM Thomas, King, Westfield, .N: J.) assignor to V Hitchings & Company, Elizabeth, N; J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 25, 1932, Serial No. 644,179 2 Claims. (Cl.23760) This.1inventionrelatesnto heating systems, and i more particularly to a type.-; of,.heating system;

employing a fluid. as a heat exchange medium.

One iofthe various objects of :the invention is toprovide a heating system whose primary characteristics are-simplicity;practicabilityand fool proof operation.

Another object is to provide arsystem of the above characterdn which the flow of the heat lomexchange medium ispositive and reliable. An-

other object is to. providea heating system, of

the;above character Which-isreadily susceptible totan-accurate temperature control and which is more economicalto operate. Another object is l5 ;;to;provideapparatus for aheating system of theiabove characterywhose manufacture is very inexpensive and maybe accomplished with a minimum amount of labor. Another object is to;

provide anefficient andreliable system for'heat- ZOming; domestic, agricultural or industrial estab lishments.

Other objects will be in part obvioussand in:

30. In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown one ormore of the various possible em- 1 bodimentsof this invention,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic viewgiof a heating system constructed in accordance with the pres- 3 ent invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan viewof the separator and tank shown 'in Figure 1, certain parts thereofbeing broken away; and,

Figure 3 is -;an enlarged Verticalsection taken 40. on line 33 of Figure 2.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

As. conducive to a clearer understanding of certain features ofthe invention, it is pointed out :thatheating'systems employing a liquid heat exchange medium. as water; have a distinct dis- 1 advantage in that it is often necessarytoheat large amounts of waterwto a relatively high tem- 50 ::perature :in order to obtain the desired circulation of the heat-exchange medium, which circu-. lation-may-become decidedly sluggish as the temperature differenceofthe water dropsm Inthe operation of :suchheatingnystems it is generally (ids-required, vwheneverzza rapid heatingof :a roomis desired; to heat a-greater part of the water in the system to a relatively high temperature in order to ,obtainthe desired circulation and desired heating. This operation is undesirable because after theroom has been heated to the desired 5 temperature and-the heat being supplied to the waterhas been shut off, the water continues to circulate and is capable of giving off a relatively largeamount. of heat whereby the room may be heatedto a temperature far above that desired. Further, hot water heating systems have the isadvantage ofbecoming air locked, whereby the circulation through the heatingsystem is appreciably cut down, and hence the efiiciency markedly lowered. These hot water systems also i have another disadvantage in that, under certain conditions, the flow of the heated heat exchangemedium isnot positive, or does not move in one direction.

Oneof the dominant aims of this invention is to eliminate ina thoroughly practical, dependable-efficient way such difliculties as those above mentioned, as well as many others. 7

In orderithat the operation of the heating system maybe more clearly understood as the indiheat exchange apparatus, and from the reservoir 5- the water returns to the heater I. The heater I,

the separator 5 and the tank 3 comprise what will be hereinafter referred to as the heating apparatus and which is generally indicated at 2.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1, there is shown a hot water heater, generally indicated at I, provided with a fire box 24 above which is located'a boiler 25 arranged to be heated by the fire in the fire box 24 and having an inlet 2 l extending below the surface of the water in the boiler and preferably three or four inches below the top of the boiler 25, andan outlet 23 preferably leading from the top. With this'arrangement water may enter near the top of the boiler 25ithroughitheinlet 21 and leave atthe top of the boiler througlr the outlet 23, the entrance of the i water nearathe top insuring a thorough interminglingt-of thecooler and hotter water in. boiler 25:whereby'more efiicient operation of the system isuprovidedh Connected with the outlet 23 is a 5 pipe 3 which is also threaded into an inlet 25, at the top of a separator (see Figure 3).

The separator 5 may be located appreciably above the heater 1! and preferably comprises a relatively small tank having a threaded outlet 21 near the bottom thereof, and a steam outlet II' near the top thereof. Outlets 2'8 and I I, as well as inlet 26, are located in such a way that none of the waterof the mixture of steam and water entering'from the pipe 9 (Figure l) and inlet 26 passes through the steam outlet I I. The pipe I I, is secured to and passes through a bottom 23 of the separator 5 and the top of the pipe I I, extends o a point near the top of the separator, and is pref erably displaced from the vicinity'of the inlet 25.

The vertical distance separating the top of the outlet II from the outlet 2i is governed by the capacity of the heating system, and should be sufficient to provide for the proper separation of the steam and water mixture entering from the heater when the heater is' operating at maximum capacity. 1

The stream outlet H is preferably connectedwith theto-p of the tank or reservoir 3. In the present embodiment, the separator 5 is located on top of the tank 3, a. cover 29 of the tank 3 preferably forming the bottom of the separator 5;

This arrangement is advantageous in that the construction of the separator 5 and the tank 3 is ratus, which preferably comprisesa series of trays tached to the sides of the tank.

33, 35, 31, 3S and ll (Figures 2 and 3) vertically spaced from one'another by means of lugs 52 or other spacing means preferably formed on the top of each tray and at the margins thereof.

? Various methods of mounting the trayswithin the tank may be used, but I'prefer to use a series of brackets 435 welded or otherwise suitably at- Indentations' 54 (Figure 2 are formed in the outer peripheries ofthe respective trays, and when properly aligned,

serves to accommodate bolts ll which are secured to the brackets l5. Accordingly, when the trays are arranged one above another, with the respective indentations 54 as well as lugs 52 aligned, the bolts serve to clamp the trays together and to rigidly secure them to the brackets 45 and thus to the sides of the tank 3.

Each of the trays has a floorportion 32, a side wall portion 5 I, and an over-flow t9, the top of the over-flow 49 extending to a position slightly beneath the level of the top 3Q of the side wall 5!.

The trays are arranged in the tank in such a 'manner that the over-flows 39 are staggered; no

one over-low being directly beneath another. With this arrangement, fluid entering at the top of the tank 3 encounters first the tray 33, and thence it flowsthro-ugh the over-flow 49 to the next tray 35 and thence in the same manner to the next tray 31 and so on until'it flows out of V the tray ll into the bottom of the reservoir'3.

From the foregoing it will be seen that steam,

from the mixture of steam and water entering the separator 5 from the heater I flows through the steam outlet I I and enters the top of the tank 3, at a point above the top tray 33.

The tank 3 has an inlet 43 connecting'with a return pipe I'I, leading to the heatexchange apparatus I. This inlet 43 is located just above 5 the top tray 33 so that the spent water entering from the heat exchange apparatus I, as will be described morefully hereinafter, flows on to the top tray 33 where it firstcomes in contact with the steam entering from the steaminlet I I. The 10 two'fiuids, after contact on the top plate 33, then 7 pass through the over-flow ,49 to the next plate and so on until the plate M is reached whence the water (substantially all the steam being condensed at this stage) passes to the bottom of the 15 tank 3 which acts as a reservoir. This inter-' mingling of the steamfrom'the separator 5 with the Water from the heat exchange apparatus I performs the dual function of condensing the steam and heating the water prior to its return 20 to the heater 'I, and-accordingly increases the efiiciency of the system. l

The inlet 43 in addition to being placed just above the top tray 33 is preferably located at a point lower than the outlet 21 in the separator 25 5, the difference in the vertical distance between the two providing for a hydrostatic head to be hereinafter described. I In addition tothe above provisions, the tank 3 has a suitable safety valve53 of any convenient construction connected with the top of the tank by way of a threaded inlet 55( Figure 3) An air valve 51 is also provided (see Figure :1) and is preferably located just beneath the last tray H but above the normal water level where there is generally a minimum amount of steam present.

A water level gage, suchas is shown at 59 (see Figure 1), may also be provided in the tank 3.

In order to insure a more positive downward. flow of the water from'the reservoir 3 to the 40 heater I through the conduit I3, and toguard against any flow from therheater I to the reser voir 3 through the conduit I3, I provide a check valve I9 in the conduit I3. The check valve may be of the ball type, permitting flowof liquid through the pipe in the direction indicated by the arrow, and preventing flow in a reverse direction. 1 v I It will now become clear that under what -I will refer to as normal conditions, the water level I in-the reservoir '3 is also maintainedatsubstan 1 tially the same height in the pipe 9, a continuous .connection between the two levels beingmaintained through the conduit I3,'the inlet 2|, the

boiler 25, the outlet 23 and the pipe 9. Now, as

the water in the boiler of the heater I reaches a temperature approachingits boiling point, a-portionof it is converted into: steam which, as shown in Figure 1, rises in the pipe 9, whereby the pipe becomesfilled with a mixtureof steam and wa- I ter. But, the mixture thus filling the pipe 9 has a relatively low density as compared with' water, 7 and the head of water in thereservoir 3 acting through the conduit I 3, the inlet 2 I and the boiler 25 forces the "steam"'and water mixture intothe separator 5. With this operation, water flows into the heater I' from the reservoir 3 equal in amountto the water and steam delivered to the separator 5 from the heater I. The incoming water lowers the temperature of the water in the heater to a point below its boiling point, and for a certain lengthof time the so-called normal conditions are again maintained in the heating apparatus. However, the heat' being continuously suppliedlto the boiler 25 again heatsthe water to its boiling point whereby steam again rises in the pipe 9 to form a steam and water mixture therein which is delivered to the separator as hereinabove described. In this manner the steam andwater mixture is delivered to the separator 5 at intervals determined in part by the rate of firing and in part by the amount of heat spent from the coils l, but, the time between the deliveries or surges being controllable generally by the amount of heat supplied to the boiler.

Under certain conditions of operation of my heating system, I have found that sudden pressures which may occur in the boiler 25 as the water is changed into its vapor phase may cause a surging of the water in the boiler 25 back into the inlet 13 and the conduit l3 into the tank or reservoir 3. However, as above described, I have overcome this difficulty which sometimes occurred, by providing the check valve [9 in the line I3. In addition to preventing any pressure in the boiler 25 from causing a. flow of Water from the heater l to the reservoir 3, the check valve has the further advantage in that it makes it possible to utilize any pressure developed in the boiler 25 to force the steam and water mixture in the pipe 9 into the separator 5,'this action being accomplished by preventing any escape of the water or steam through the inlet 2 i. In this way any steam pressure in the boiler 25 aids the hydrostatic head of water in the reservoir 3 in forcing the steam and water mixture into the separator 5, and accordingly the capacity and efliciency or the heating system is increased.

The mixture of steam and water, which for purposes of description may be ass mod to be at a temperature of 210, now enters the separator 5 where the water falls to the bottom thereof and flows from the outlet 2! to the heat exchange apparatus 5 through a pipe l5 connected with outlet 2? as shown in Figure 1. The steam, thus separated from the water, flows through the top of the steam outlet l I into the top of the tank 3 where it mixes with the spent or cooled water returning from the coils through a pipe I! and is condensed on trays 33, 55, SI, 35' and 4! as described above; in this way the latent heat of the steam which is given up in condensing pre-heats the spent water which is to return to he heater by way of conduit 53, thus maintaining this water at a maximum temperature.

Referring now to the heat exchange apparatus, the coils i are connected with the heating apparatus 2 through the feed pipe i5 and return conduit I 'i. The feed pipe i5, which is connected to the bottom of the separator by way of outlet 2?, has a relatively large diameter as compared with the return conduit Ii and preferably is given an appreciable slant as is shown in Figure l.

I have found that under certain peculiar conditions of operation air collects in the feed pipe l5 connecting the separator 5 with the heat exchange apparatus i, and that water entering the pipe l5 from the separator 5 is prevented from passing therethrough by the air which was not able to escape past the water. When such a condition arises, the heating system becomes airlocked and does not function properly. However, with the unique arrangement or the feed pipe 15, as above described, it any air is present in, the pipe [5 when. water enters it from the separator 5, the relatively large diameter of the pipe together with the slant enables the air to escape readily to the top of the pipe #5 into the separator 5 whence it can flow through the steam outlet I l intothe reservoir 3 and out through the air valve 51.

In this way I substantially safeguard the system against becoming air-locked, and accordingly provide for a more dependable and uniform flow of water from the separator 5 to the heat exchange apparatus i.

The pipe I5 is connected with the heat exchange apparatus l' through a relatively small coupling 65, a larger coupling St, a vertical line generally indicated at 53, a coupling 55 and main feed or distributing conduit iii. The feed or distributing line 61 is provided with couplings such as 55 for connecting pipe lines such as H with the feed lines 5?, each pipe line 7% connecting a feed header l3 and coils E5 of the heat exchange apparatus 7.

The coils 75 are also connected with a return header 1'! which is connected with a returndistributing line 19 similar to the feed distributing line 5'! through a line 8! and a coupling 53. The return distributing line 59 is connected through a coupling 85 with a vertical return line 87 which in turn is connected through couplings 59 and Hi to the coupling Bl. The coupling 89 is also connected with the return conduit or line I! through a pipe 93.

The flow of water through the circuit formed by the pipe 85, coupling 55, coupling 5!, line 53, coupling 65, line 5?, coupling 59, line Ii, to the heat exchange apparatus 35, and back to conduit i! through line 8i, coupling 53, line '19, coupling 55, line 81, and couplings 89 and 93, primarily results from a hydrostatic pressure created by positioning the Water supply to the pipe i5 appreciably above the inlet 43 of the return conduit II. In other Words, the water in the separator 5 acts as a hydrostatic head to force water from pipe i5 up through the heat exchange apparatus and the conduit ll into the reservoir 5 and hence the rate of flow through this circuit is primarily governed by the hydrostatic pressure. Under certain conditions of operation i;- may be desirable to have a rapid flow through the circuit in which event the outlet 23 of separator is positioned relatively high above the inlet 53 in the tank 3. However, under other conditions, when it is desirable to reduce the rate of flow, the separator 5 and the tank 3 are designed in such a Way that the outlet 2'2 is not positioned as far above the inlet 43.

From the description of the circuit above described it is clear that the temperature or" the water in the pipe line 53 is above that in the line 8'! and hence by providing a connection between the two lines 53 and 8? through the coupling 5!, I provide for a thermosiphon circulation which may be traced as follows: Hot Water enters the line 53 from the coupling 55 and intermingles with water flowing by reason of the thermosiphon action from the line 5?. This mixture of water then flows to the heat exchange apparatus 1 through lines 53, 5'3 and H, where it is cooled in the coils T5. The cooler water being heavier than the water rising in the line just described, flows down through lines 6i, l9 and 8'? to the coupling 89 where part rises through coupling 9| and is mixed with the warmer water entering from the feed pipe E5, the remainder returning through the coupling 5i and the return feed line i? to the reservoir 3. The amount returning to the reservoir is equal to amount entering the heat exchange apparatus from the separator 5.

From the above it is clear that the how through the lines 63, the heat exchange apparatus 1 and the' line 81, results from the hydrostatic head existing because of the vertical separation of the outlet 21 and the inlet 43, in the separator 5 and reservoir 3 respectively, as Well as from the thermo-siphon action just described. It is: further clear that for this reason the volume of flow through the heat exchange apparatus 1 is maintained at a maximum.

With the apparatus and system'which I have 7 described, I am able to obtain a very accurate control of the heating effect of thecoils I. This is possible for many reasons, among which are:

The temperature of the water supplied to the heat exchange apparatus by the pipe 5 is always constant and is at a substantially maximum liq uid phase temperature.

The rate of flow through the coils 1 may be a accurately controlled and hence the number of i the coils heated to the maximum temperature I may be-controlled and in this way the effective heating area is governed. I am able to vary the circulation with precision because there is no circulation in the heating apparatus until a delivery of steam and water is made to the separator 5,

" and by a simple regulation of the amount of heat supplied to the boiler I am able to control the deliveries to the separator 5. For example, one delivery per minute may be sufiicient to heat one turn of the coils; two, deliveries per minute may be sufficient to heat two turns of the coils, and so forth; but whenever I stop' the heating of the Water in the boiler 25, the circulation through the pipe l5 and the conduit ii is stopped as well as an appreciable amount of the circulation through the coils .7 whereby only that heated water remaining in the coils is capable of continuing to give off heat to the room being heated. To improve further the operation or" my improved heating system, I provide, between the return line I"! and the conduit !3, a relatively small pipe connection 2%, which connects with the conduit it. between the reservoir and the check valve.

The pipeidil is preferably of such a capacity that during a normal flow of the heat exchange medium through the heating system, there is substantially no flow of the water directly from the'line i! to the conduit l3'through the connection 20. But, if, When the system is idle and there is substantially no flow of water through the line H, the heat exchange apparatus for some reason or other loses some or all of its water, the loss is made up by a flow from the reservoir 3 through the conduit 43 through the connection 20 and to the line 1?. Thus, if there is water in the reservoir 3, as indicated by the gage 59, I am assured, because of the connection 20, that there is water in the rest of the system.

invention, and as various changes might be made 10: in the construction herein described, all without departing from the scope of the invention, his

to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. 7

What is claimed is: x

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a boiler, a percolator above said' boiler, a connection from said boiler to: said percolator, a reservoir above said boiler and below said percolator, said percolator comprising means for separating steam from water and having a steam outlet and a Water outlet, a conduitconnecting said steam outlet of said percolator to said reserf voir, a steam condenser in said reservoir, a heat exchange apparatus, a hot water feed line connecting said water outlet of the percolator to said heat exchange apparatus, a return feed line from said heat exchange apparatus to the upper part of said reservoir, a connection between the lower. part of said reservoir and the boiler, means for indicating the water level in said'reservoir, and

a pipe of small flow capacity between said return 7 feed line and the second-mentioned connection.

2; In an apparatus of the class described, a boiler, a percolator above said boiler, a connection from said boiler to said percolator, a reservoir above said boiler and below said-percolator, said percolator comprising means for separating 40 steam from Watcrand having a steam outlet and a water outlet, means for condensing the steam from said steam outlet'of said percolator and delivering to said reservoir, a heat exchange apparatus, a hot water feed line connecting said water outlet of the percolator to said heat exchange ap paratus, a return ieed linefrom' said heat exchange apparatus to said condensing means, a connection between the lower part of said reser-' voir and the boiler, means for indicating the water level in said reservoir, and a pipe of small flow capacity between said return feed line and the second-mentioned connection.

THOMAS E. KING. 7 as 

